Pro-abortion congresswoman: Senate abortion language OK

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.)

Washington D.C., Jan 4, 2010 / 12:59 pm (CNA).- Catholic Congresswoman, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) hinted last week that she will support the abortion language of the health care Senate bill once it goes back to the House.

The representative has been asked by the Democratic leadership in both the House and Senate to help find a compromise on abortion between the two chambers.

In an interview last week with the Huffington Post, the Catholic pro-abortion Democrat said she would support the Senate's version of the bill and its abortion-related language. She also asked the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to join the “compromise” about which “no one is happy.”

Referring to the Hyde amendment, put in place in 1976 to bar federal funds from paying for abortion, DeLauro “acknowledged a certain misery in being forced to favorably champion existing law,” reported the Huffington Post. “‘Who on the pro-choice side is excited about saying the Hyde language ought to prevail?’ she asked.”

But according to DeLauro, “legislation, especially health care reform, is defined by finding middle ground.”

“It's maybe a compromise where no one is that happy. It would appear that you've got the Catholic Bishops who aren't happy. But [Sen. Ben] Nelson (D-Neb.) found his way there as did Senator Bob Casey (D-Penn.) and the pro-choice side said, ‘We don't like this as much as we would like to not deal with this language.’ But, you know, we're not going to defeat health care.”

With “regard to the Catholic Bishops, they now have an opportunity to not hold health care hostage in the way that they did and tried to do in the Senate,” DeLauro added.